Churches and Shaw

If there are two things the neighborhood has aplenty, they are liquor stores and churches. The odd thing about the churches is that many congregants of said churches don’t live in the neighborhood. I cannot and will not condemn on that point, as I myself attend in Northern Virginia. My Aunt #1 drives all the way from the Hyattsville area to go to Shilo Bapist Church. When Aunt #2 is not hampered by CP* time disorder she tries to make it from near Howard Co., but by the time she shows all the parking in the tiny lot the church owns is gone. Every Sunday folks from the ‘burbs flock into the city to attend church and go back home. They are now having to fight with residents for parking.

Back when I was a kid visiting Aunts #1 and #2 I believe there was plenty parking. Shaw was a BAD neighborhood. There weren’t that many people as I recall. Of course I really don’t remember that much about the environment outside the church, my more vivid memories are of the events inside the church.

Now people are rehabbing once vacant housing and moving in with their cars. It’s becoming a problem. Some churches have begun to move out because of it, or at least make plans to move where their congregants live…. Maryland.

*Colored People’s Time Disorder. This disorder strikes so many of our people and leaves them unable to show up at functions in a timely manner. Not only are those directly hampered by this victims but their friends and family as well. Yes, some of us are still annoyed that a whole family suffering from CP time disorder showed up 2 hours late for Thanksgiving dinner. And some wonder why I don’t want to host this year……